TNR News Network
Shimla: Winter tightened its grip on Himachal Pradesh as fresh snowfall on the higher reaches sent temperatures plummeting across the state, with 15 locations recording a minimum below 5°C and three drifting into sub-zero.
The sharp dip comes even as Saturday morning began on a clear note across most regions after overnight moisture cleared out.
The Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for dense fog during early morning and late night hours in select low-lying and mid-hills regions, advising motorists to exercise caution. The biting cold is being felt more intensely in interior valleys as cold northwesterly winds sweep through after the snowfall.
A striking display of freezing conditions unfolded near Saptadhara in Lahaul, where a ruptured pipeline caused flowing water to cascade over a tree — only to freeze mid-air, forming natural icicles.
Mercury below zero at Kukumseri, Tabo and Kalpa
Kukumseri emerged as the coldest, with the temperature nosediving to -5.6°C, followed by Tabo at -4.4°C and Kalpa at -0.6°C. Manoeuvring through the cold was no easier for other towns either:
• Manali (1.1°C), Bhuntar (1.5°C), Sundernagar (2.0°C), Solan (3.0°C), Hamirpur (3.2°C), Mandi (3.1°C), Kangra (4.4°C), Palampur (5.0°C) and Una (5.9°C) shivered under single-digit minimums.
• Shimla, comparatively milder, settled at 8.6°C, while Nahan remained the warmest at 10.3°C.
Across most of the state, the night temperatures hovered below the 10°C mark, intensifying the chill.
Another spell of snow forecast as western disturbance approaches
The weather department has predicted light rain and snow at a few high-altitude points on Sunday, triggered by the impact of an active western disturbance. Snowflakes were reported late Friday evening at Baralacha Pass, Tanglang La and Shinkula, piling on to the cold wave engulfing the valleys.
Despite the fresh snow, the Manali-Leh highway remains open, ensuring smooth movement of vehicles, a relief for residents and transporters.
While the tourism industry awaits a spell of widespread snowfall to boost winter arrivals, the sentiment is contrasting in farming pockets. Farmers in Lahaul and Spiti continue to wait for adequate rain to begin wheat and pea sowing, which has been stalled due to persistent dry conditions. With sub-zero temperatures in Tabo, Kukumseri and Keylong and freezing nights elsewhere, agricultural activity has come to a halt.
